Initial discussion centered on the need stated by a number of Spaulding ninth grade teachers over the years about the lack of behavioral and academic skills of students entering fro eighth grade. Incivility, foul language, disrespect for others, and aggressive behaviors have been seen as a constant for many of the students entering our hallways.
Teachers also have noted several areas of concern dealing with academic skills: poor study skills, weak comprehension skills in reading, weak writing skills in expository and persuasive writing, and an overall lack of critical thinking skills.
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Behavioral suggestions included: consistent discipline measures within the academy; teaching students the Habits of Success as identified by Art Costa; goal-setting, rules, and consequences to achieve these goals; and the use of both Intelligent Communication (Charles Johnson) and Tongue FU! at School! to address positive communication skills for both teachers and students.
Academic suggestions included less teacher lecture and more active-learning strategies involving the Constructivist approach to learning. Discussion also dealt with teaching active reading strategies and the need for addressing reading and writing across the curriculum. Finally, we discussed the need to employ more critical thinking activities into units and daily lessons.
Much of the discussion was focused on the fact that this will be a program that teachers will begin by “planting the seeds for student success now so that we can reap the benefits as a whole campus.” We want to include all teachers in the discussion, and allow those who wish to be a major part or minor part of the Academy those options. Implementation will be in the 2007-2008 academic year, but we will be working on developing the program and building learning teams immediately.
Tom Sedore
*The next meeting date for the